A bare-chested assailant who threatened a Bradford barber with a knife after bursting mob-handed into his shop has been jailed for more than three years.

Nathan Lloyd was armed with a switchblade when he and two accomplices barged their way into Ammini Anderson’s premises in Rawson Place in the city centre, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Lloyd, who was topless and had a knife in his waistband, shouted: “I’m going to stab you,” prosecutor Philip Standfast said yesterday.

Mr Anderson struggled with Lloyd for possession of the weapon and managed to grab it off him. He was treated in Bradford Royal Infirmary for a cut hand, swollen knuckles and a bruised head.

Lloyd, 24, of Sunbridge Road, Bradford, pleaded guilty to affray and unlawfully and intentionally threatening Mr Anderson with the blade on June 26.

The court heard that five men, including Lloyd, were hanging around outside the barber’s shop on the morning of the incident.

Mr Standfast said it was unclear why there was ill-feeling between the defendant and Mr Anderson but it was thought to be about a woman.

Mr Anderson was attending to his final customer of the day at 6.30pm when Lloyd and two other men returned and started banging on the locked door.

Fearing they would smash it, Mr Anderson opened it and they pushed past him.

The three intruders fled when Mr Anderson seized the knife and his customer shoved the other two men towards the door. One hurled the shop keys into the road as they ran off. Police retrieved the switchblade from the shop and apprehended Lloyd from a building on Sunbridge Road. He had a Rambo knife on him when he was arrested.

He made no comment when interviewed by the police except to deny that he was involved in the violence.

The court heard that Lloyd was convicted of two offences of possession of an offensive weapon when he was a teenager.

Mr Standfast said Lloyd was in breach of a suspended sentence imposed in 2016 for possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

Lloyd’s barrister, Nigel Jamieson, said: “He didn’t appreciate the stupidity of having a knife with him. He does now.”

Judge Jonathan Rose said that carrying a knife led to the temptation to draw the weapon.

“The difference between minimal injuries and death is often a few millimetres,” Judge Rose said.

Lloyd was jailed for 22 months for affray, with 18 months of the suspended sentence activated consecutively.